Hydropower project in protected Aklan watershed faces community backlash

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Residents led by the Nabaoy Environmental Defenders mount a protest, placing placards along the roads leading to a village plaza, where the public consultation takes place

AKLAN, Philippines – A multi-sectoral group has strongly opposed a hydropower plant project in the watershed of Barangay Nabaoy in Malay, Aklan, citing risks to water sources, forest cover, and protected areas.

The opposition by villagers, including indigenous peoples (IPs), and environmentalists, was made during a public consultation on Saturday, July 26, organized by San Roque Hydropower Incorporated (SRHI) a subsidiary of San Miguel Global Holdings Corporation. 

The event was part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process required by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the planned 300-megawatt power plant project for Aklan province, including the world-renowned Boracay Island.

Residents led by the Nabaoy Environmental Defenders mounted a protest, placing placards along the roads leading to the village plaza, where the public consultation was held.

In 2021, the SRHI then named Strategic Power Development Corporation (SPDC), proposed a P26.3-billion project covering 122.79 hectares – 97.89 hectares in forest land and 24.90 more within a protected zone. 

The project ground to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, according to Engineer Noel Guillan, SRHI electromechanical project lead.

SRHI did not give details of the plan on Saturday, but the original plan included building two dams, waterways, and an underground powerhouse to be completed in four and a half years.

Guillan assured local officials and residents: “We will not affect or contaminate the Nabaoy River and the nearby Imbaroto River.  We will not disrupt the current water supply. We have noted your objections.” 

He said the firm would use rainwater, which would be collected and stored in a reservoir.

However, opponents of the planned project remained skeptical despite the assurance.

“The proposed hydropower plant is a threat not just to the community but to the entire Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park, a protected area,” said Cris Daday Cahilig of the Nabaoy Environmental Defenders.

Cahilig said the Nabaoy watershed is “a lifeline of a potable water source to both tourists and residents of Boracay, a premier beach tourism destination.”

She said among the threats to the watershed are ecological disruptions in protected areas, alteration of natural water flow, deforestation and soil erosion, inconsistency with protected area laws, among others.

In a 2021 statement, the Protect Northwest Panay Peninsula and Parks and its Watersheds (PNPP) said the watershed is also a “sacred ground” for hunting and gathering activities of the IPs.

Raymond Sucgang, a senior researcher at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), said his team’s 2021-2023 research showed why the watershed must be protected.

“Nabaoy does not store water through primary porosity. It is not made of limestone, which is naturally porous. Instead, it is composed of solid rocks like chert and sandstone – materials that cannot hold water in their natural state. Water is stored and released through fractures. The only reason Nabaoy provides a steady baseflow of water all year round, even in summer, is due to fractures or cracks in the rocks (called secondary porosity),” Sucgang said.

Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista confirmed that the proponent had discussed the project with him but said he made no commitments.

“I just told them to comply with the requirements of the environmental laws,” he said. – Rappler.com